“In & Out”

Last year, the Toronto musician Daniel Benjamin moved to Detroit, ditched his guitar and immersed himself in the heartland of dance music and soul. His dream pop project Moon King was once focused on Cocteau Twins worship, but it seems his time in the Motor City has introduced to him to a new set of idols; the music of George Clinton and Carl Craig hangs over the lo-fi pop music he’s now making. “In & Out,” the first song from his new cassette Hamtramck '16, is a successful bit of pop nostalgia that shows Benjamin is no neophyte when it comes to crafting a good boogie.

There is a healthy dose of 1980s glitter on the song, with its synths and the chirps of vintage drum machine beat, which loop and circle like a rickety disco ball. Bits and pieces of cassette crackle alongside Benjamin’s fuzzed out voice add an even thicker retro veneer to the song. But “In & Out” is hardly just an exercise in making a new song feel old. His melodies have a natural bounce, shuffle, and pulse, and little details like static or his garbled delivery just add a dash of playfulness and warmth. “In & Out” has a pleasing antique feel, and Benjamin’s take on disco is a lovingly crafted homage to the genre.